Fennel is an old world plant dating back long before the pharaohs. Both the seeds and the bulb have a mild licorice taste.

As an anti-spasmodic herb, Fennel is known mainly for soothing muscle tension, digestive spasms, and menstrual cramps. However, it has a variety of other uses. For example Fennel helps nursing mothers produce more milk and has been used for centuries to eliminate colic in babies.

Fennel is used for queasiness after a meal, gas, bloating, and diarrhea. Chewing fennel seeds after a meal helps with digestion and leaves a fresh taste in your mouth. It is also added to formulas given to people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. In addition, a compress of fennel infusion can be used for conjunctivitis and inflammation of the eyelids.

Fresh fennel bulbs are delicious ~ try adding them to salads or grill them whole. Fennel seeds have more volatile oils and are considered a stronger herbal remedy than the bulb.Fennel grows well in drought areas, but if you decide to grow fennel be sure you buy BULBING FENNEL (otherwise you will just have leaves).​FENNEL TEA1 Tbl. Fennel seeds1 Tbl. Dried lemon balm (or 2 Tbls. fresh)Honey to taste (optional) ~ do not use honey on children under 2 yrs old

Bring 1 ¼ cups of water to a boil. Place fennel seeds and lemon balm in a mug. Pour water over herbs and steep for 5 minutes. Strain. Add honey to taste. Adults can drink 2-3 servings a day. Small children may only need a teaspoon or less.